While I was walking home, in the early evening, the sky became that brilliant, glowing cobalt blue that only happens when conditions are right. There are few things more beautiful.
Today, I was able to take a short breather from the work I’ve been doing, compiling a database of companies for an urban investment delegation. I delivered an excel doc in the early morning, after doing an all-nighter. So, after finishing some overdue household chores, I caught a four-dollar matinée at the Rainbow Cinema. It was my first theatre movie of the year. I must be the only person on the planet who went to see Brokeback Mountain because of the sheep and the scenery [see THE LABYRINTH: VIEWING — Films 2006]. The theatre is across the street from St. Lawrence Market, so I stopped in. There’s a vegetable store there that is so picky about quality that it tosses anything even slightly substandard onto the discount rack. There, I found a bag of perfectly good chanterelle mushrooms for a dollar, and a large bunch of leeks for the same price. Mushroom Soup! Once home, I made one of my improvisational inspirations: cream base (not too thick), chopped leeks, celery, carrots and the chanterelles, enriched in the pot with paprika, Madras curry, parsley, a dash of soy sauce, and a teaspoon of tamarind paste.. I recommend it. Remember, don’t make the cream base sludgy.
As I was pouring it into the bowl, the Canadian dollar moved up to US 88.39. Perhaps I contributed to the rise. When it reaches par, there will be a lot of soul-searching. Exporters who have used the crutch of a low dollar will now have to decide to make things that compete in quality, or go into decline. It will be interesting to see which way they go.
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